Security Force Assistance Brigade

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1st Security Force Assistance Brigade activation ceremony US Army 1st SFAB activation ceremony.jpg
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade activation ceremony

A Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) (pronounced ESS-fab [1] ) is a specialized United States Army unit formed to conduct security force assistance (SFA) missions: to train, advise, assist, enable and accompany operations with allied and partner nations. [2] SFABs are intended to reduce the burden of such operations on conventionally-organized Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), allowing BCTs to focus on fighting near-peer threats.

Contents

Designed on the model of a standard infantry brigade combat team, SFABs are composed of roughly 800 personnel, primarily commissioned and non-commissioned officers selected from regular and National Guard Army units and given additional training at the Military Advisor Training Academy (MATA) at Fort Moore, Georgia.

History

During the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and the War in Iraq (2003-2010) the Department of Defense attempted to build foreign armies, other military forces, police forces, and other security forces.

United States MiTTs trained the Iraqi Army and National Police and ETTs did the same in Afghanistan. Training over 350,000 Soldiers and Police between the two nations MiTTs and ETTs were heavily employed but suffered from a lack of standardization in programs of instructions, force structure, and selection criteria. Trying to draw lessons from these experiences the U.S. Army utilized portions of Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) as Regionally Aligned Forces (RAF). Utilizing BCTs as RAF as the primary mechanism to deliver training and assistance did improve performance. However, as the primary role of brigade combat teams were seen as winning in conventional regular warfare, rather than irregular operations, RAFs were not seen as sufficient. Therefore, Security Force Assistance Brigades were created as a dedicated answer from 2017.

From August 2017 to May 2020 the Army established six Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs). Originally designed to provide advice, assist, and accompany capabilities to Afghan, Iraqi, and Peshmerga Security Forces, the Army reorganized SFABs in 2019 to meet the global challenges inherent to strategic competition. With the completion of global alignment in summer 2021, SFABs transitioned and assumed a role the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army described as “the Army’s leading edge of campaigning.” In addition to providing Combatant Commands’ persistent, predictable, and effective capabilities during competition, SFABs help marshal United States allies and partners. SFABs’ role in crisis and conflict has not only been tested during Combat Training Center rotations and Warfighter Exercises, it was put to use as part of EUCOM and NATO's assure and deter operations during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. [3] [4] [5]

Overview

SFAB recruiting

The SFAB Recruiting and Retention Team [29] was formed to provide SFAB leader development briefs and recruit Army-wide Soldiers and leaders for SFAB opportunities. Eligible Soldiers volunteer for SFAB assignments by completing two SFAB Volunteer forms [30] DA Form 4187 (Personnel Request) and SF 600 (Medical Screening) and e-mailing both to the Human Resources Command (HRC) SFAB Team for screening. On May 15, 2018, Army officials released new guidance on the Army's Selective Retention Bonus (SRB) Program, which includes first-ever bonuses up to $52,000 for those who reenlist for critical Security Forces Assistance Brigade positions. [31]

List of Security Force Assistance Brigades

Security Force Assistance Units
Unit name Shoulder sleeve insignia Distinctive unit insignia Beret flash Unit locationAligned toStatus
Security Force Assistance Command
US Army Security Force Assistance Brigade SSI.png
Security Force Assistance Command DUI.png
Security Force Assistance Command Flash.svg Fort Liberty, North Carolina Active [24]
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade Flash.svg Fort Moore, Georgia Active
2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade
2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade Flash.svg Fort Liberty, North Carolina AFRICOM Active [32] [24]
3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade Flash.svg Fort Cavazos, Texas CENTCOM Active
4th Security Force Assistance Brigade [33] [34]
US Army 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret Flash.svg Fort Carson, Colorado EUCOM Active [33] [35]
5th Security Force Assistance Brigade
US Army 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret Flash.svg Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington INDOPACOM Active [36] [37] [26]
54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (National Guard) [20] [38]
US Army 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret Flash.svg HHC: Indiana, 1st Battalion: Georgia, 2nd & 3rd Battalions: Florida, 4th Battalion: Texas, 5th Battalion: Ohio, and 6th Battalion: Illinois [38] Active [33] [38]
Brown beret of the SFABs (1st SFAB flash and DUI depicted) 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret and flash.jpg
Brown beret of the SFABs (1st SFAB flash and DUI depicted)

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">54th Security Force Assistance Brigade</span> Military unit

The 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade is a Security Force Assistance Brigade of the United States Army. It is an Army National Guard formation headquartered out of Indiana and falls under the Regular Army's Security Force Assistance Command.

References

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